Psychedelia — "back to the future" or "forward to the past"

[(sowhat)]

What do you think about it? Say, was it more of "back to the roots" thing (shamans, tribal dances and rituals, "exotic" traditional instruments, etc), or more "look into the future", or both equally? What was so new and special about it? Who/what influenced psychedelia and what other music styles were influenced by psychedelia? Favourite/most influental bands/artists? Etc, etc — questions could be endless.
Little fact: in Russian, it's for some reason called "psychodelia", thus creating an association with psychopathy rather than psyche. How do you think, was it more about soul searching or more about going crazy (i know some people who would agree with later)?
So, what do you think about this kind of music? As always, all kinds of opinions welcome.

[(antipodean)]

I'm not sure what constitutes psychedelia. "Tomorrow Never Knows", "Lucy in the Sky", "I am the Walrus", "Happiness is a Warm Gun" and huge chunks of "Freak Out" by Frank Zappa probably qualify, but I'm lost after that. Some critics have stated that the album "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots" by the Flaming Lips is an example of modern psycedelia - I just don't see the connection at all.

[(rickinroma)]

it'd be useful to discern if psichedelia is a matter of "contents" in a 360° meaning or it is just a matter of "musical arrangement", "sounds"

[(kenposurf)]

This thread could open the same can of worms as when we tried to figure out what was punk Early on imo, psych was music that was intended to enhance a psychadelic experience so Pink Floyd, early Country Joe and the Fish, Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix, Jefferson Airplane and The Moody Blues would be some early artists...

[(sowhat)]

Hmmm... but if we'd always be afraid to open a can of worms while talking about something then it's better not to start talking about anything at all.
Experience, indeed. I was thinking early psych (late 60s), albeit frankly i didn't put PF in that row (my mistake perhaps), not modern wave (also my mistake perhaps). A combination of specific sound and feel which some may call "mind bending", "hypnotic". As far as 13th Floor Elevators go, for instance, the band name itself kinda puts me into trance.

[(kenposurf)]

I like worms so no worries Lie on the floor between the speaker and put on PF's Echos...worked for us...also their See Emily Play and Intersteller Overdrive. 13the Floor Elevators were more garage (which can be psych..hah) to me. Spirit was very psych..Jefferson Airplane's Crown Of Creation great psych vibe. The Stones tried with His Satanic Majesties Request...but fell short. As time went on the lines blured as EL+P, King Crimson and others pushed the style into more of a prog space.

[(rickenmetal)]

I would say it is a kind of hypnotic music, sometimes mixed in with music from other cultures, occasionally without the musicians being fully immersed in that culture. (No, I don't think you have to take acid to enjoy it.)

It doesn't have to be in a band context at all, it could be fully electronic, for example Psy-trance and Goa trance. Of course, there are some who mix electronics with real instruments as well.

As for trance music, I would say it doesn't have to be electronic at all, as there are many cultural traditions, for example North African Gnawa music, Australian Aboriginal music, Tuvan music, Siberian shamanic music, American Indian music, etc. etc.

[(mfb)]

There is always going to be someone going to dance to the beating of stretched skins with a cow femur, under the spring moonlight , after a hefty partaking of the nectar.

It's in the genes.

[(rickenmetal)]

As for that linguistic comment about the word in Russian, it does not surprise me: they used to throw hippies in psychiatric hospitals, even if they didn't do drugs at all or barely, basically for their beliefs and long hair.

[(sowhat)]

As for that linguistic comment about the word in Russian, it does not surprise me: they used to throw hippies in psychiatric hospitals, even if they didn't do drugs at all or barely, basically for their beliefs and long hair.

That's another stereotype about my country. Not that there were no hippies who were sent to lunatic asylums (and the reason was aberrant behaviour, not long hair as such); but it wasn't a rule like "meet a hippie — lock him down in a funny house". Hair cutting, on the other hand, did happen from time to time, but in many cases, the "hairdressers" were the "good guys" of the same age who didn't like those who wanted to be "unlike others".

[(rickenmetal)]

I got that information from a Ukrainian hippie about Soviet times. I did not say they were all locked up in psychiatric hospitals.

[(rikk)]

When I think of Psych music I think of:
Pink Floyd (Syb Barret era)
Cream (Desreali Gears)
Aorta
Hawkwind
Electric Prunes
Amboy Dukes
Chocolate Watchband
The Nazz
The Lollipop Shoppe
Mandrake Paddle Steamer
Plasticland
Dukes of Stratosphere
The Three O'clock

[(rickenmetal)]

I like that 60's psychedelia too, I am surprised no one mentioned the Strawberry Alarm Clock.

[(sowhat)]

I got that information from a Ukrainian hippie about Soviet times. I did not say they were all locked up in psychiatric hospitals.

Believe me, i don't mean to compromise your friend's integrity or say he's lying. Of course, at the time, USSR wasn't a very comfortable place to live for people with differing minds, and long hair on boys was indeed unwelcome. But that statement sounded like a bit of an exaggeration, probably based on unpleasant personal experience which i have no reason to doubt.

[(rikk)]

I like that 60's psychedelia too, I am surprised no one mentioned the Strawberry Alarm Clock.

Oh, yes can't forget about them. They were pretty good. Their guitar player Ed King went onto form Lynyrd Skynyrd.